Threats of Saba saba

Saba saba, the day in 1992 when the clamor for multipartyism climaxed and pushed Daniel Arap Moi's government to set in motion changes to the constitution that would allow for more than one political party. 

But the price paid that day at Kamkunji gorunds in Nairobi may never be forgotten. Blood was shed; police truncheons descended on demonstrators knees; tears and sweat flowed freely as tear gas caused a thick, hazy atmosphere; live ammunition was fired at protesters. It was not all in vain as the changes to the constitution ushered in the first ever General election in Kenya's history and eventually led to the exit of the much-maligned Moi regime. We doff our hats to the heroes of that day; Matiba, Odinga, Shikuku, Orengo et al.

Today some 20+ years after saba saba, some of the architects of this political uprising are still delirious about being in power. They have simply failed to move on. They are always in a "revolution mode," but they themselves will accept no challengers, no fresh ideas, no young turks, without an overt endorsement by them. They are simply in denial, preaching water while drinking wine. 

We were treated to a very brutish party election in February, right before "baba" left for the states to, as Miguna put it, loiter aimlessly from state to state. Let us not mince words. If the ODM party elections had progressed as intended, there would have been quite a change in leadership, young guns that would have undermined Odinga's influence in the party and eventually forced him out. He acutely knew this, so he sanctioned goons from various parts of the country to destroy the whole process, then ironically appointed a committee to investigate the whole charade. The culprits -which in this case is himself- have never been brought to book.

The writing is on the wall.

When Odinga talks about a 'political storm,' he perhaps unwittingly does not realize how close to the guillotine his neck is. What he is basically doing is throwing stones while living in a glass house. If i were UhuRuto, i wouldn't be cowed by these empty threats, rather, i would work to foment more chaos in the already disorganized bunch of clowns known as CORD. Did you realize just how chaotic the much-hyped rally at Uhuru park was? We heard nothing from the appointed second in command, not even a word of welcome for the former P.M. It was just a bunch of politicians jostling and jockeying for position...and for the microphone. Then there was the ignominious moment for the Governor of Nairobi, the senior-most Cord official in office today.

As Odinga calls for reform, political tsunami, a storm, let him also continue to ponder his own fate. Let him be careful, lest he becomes a victim of his own revolution -like some of the vanguards of the various revolutions that have happened in the past around the world.